Doni Dowling and players at Virginia spent preseason without any numbers or markings on their uniforms as coach Bronco Mendenhall made them earn the honors back. Andrew Shurtleff/The Daily Progress

Bronco Mendenhall’s first meeting with players at Virginia left him with an impression — and it wasn’t good.

The room was filled with dejected and despondent faces. A coaching change had left everyone in Charlottesville uninspired and unsure. Medenhall knew something had to change if the Cavaliers were going to get better.

“I realized at that point that this program is going to have to start from ground zero, just with a sheer joy of being able to play the game, to earn the right to play the game and eventually to earn the right to play the game for the University of Virginia,” Mendenhall said during the first ACC coaches teleconference on Wednesday.

The former BYU coach did something he’s never done before, stripping team gear of all identifying marks. Players’ helmets no longer had logos. There were no numbers or flair on the jersey. Everything was simply plain school colors. The only exceptions were pieces of tape to note which helmet belonged to which player.

The idea was simple — if you want a number and to be identified as a player for Virginia, you have to earn it.

Mendenhall got the response he was looking for as players have found new life during preseason work. In all, 61 numbers have been given out. The process was emotional, but one Mendenhall says he will continue to use for the rest of his coaching career.

“(It’s) just something that simple, it ends up being a fantastic ceremony, very emotional and great for our team,” Mendenhall said.

Football abroad for Boston College, Georgia Tech

Every college football team is facing the same question going into Week 1 — how will players react to being back on the field? For Boston College and Georgia Tech, that question is no different, expect it’s being asked an ocean away.

The ACC foes will open the 2016 season against each other at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland. BC coach Steve Addazio called it “the $60 million question.”

The Eagles are already in Ireland, while the Yellow Jackets are set to leave Wednesday night. Both programs have made arrangements to sleep on the flight, arrive in the morning and being practice immediately. The hope is to keep the travel affects to a minimum.

Opening on the road is difficult. Opening on the road against a conference opponent adds another layer. Add in another country, and you’ve got a truly interesting situation. The good news — the two teams aren’t lone.

“It’s the same on both sides. They’re confronted with the same issues we’re confronted with,” Addazio said.

Pitt’s Conner will be a factor

James Conner told Pitt football Pat Narduzzi eight months ago that he was “going to tell a great story.” On Saturday, that story gets a new chapter.

Less than a year removed from treatment for cancer, Conner is expected back on the field Saturday for the Panthers’ opening game against Villanova. Not only that, he’s expect to start and contribute.

“I don’t think he’s lost a step,” Narduzzi said.

The 2014 ACC player of the year is listed as the starter. He rushed for 1,756 yards in 2014. Qadree Ollison led the Panthers as freshman last year with 1,121 yards and 11 scores. Both backs are expected to get plenty of work, but it will be Conner who takes the attention given his remarkable comeback story.

“His story continues and will continue when he runs out of that tunnel on Saturday at 1:30 and takes his first snap,” Narduzzi said.

Quotable

“Nothing on social media surprises me.” — Florida State coach Jimbo Fisher on the response to photo of Travis Rudolph eating lunch with autistic sixth-grader during school visit. Check out the story here.

Reporter Alex Riley can be reached at 910-343-2034 or Alex.Riley@StarNewsOnline.com. Follow Alex on Twitter at @AlexRileySN and like him on Facebook at @ACCInsider.

[…] 1. First off, let me apologize. Yesterday was supposed to be a solid news day, but unfortunately our blog system went on the fritz, making it hard (actually, impossible) to post stories. So, with that in mind, let me catch you up on what you might have missed: My take on ECU being denied admission to the Big 12 and some notes from the first ACC coaches teleconference yesterday. Enjoy! […]